THE IMPACT OF THE OPIOID CRISIS ON YOUNG CHILDREN:

The Nisonger Center at The Ohio State University is involved in two training initiatives focusing on educating childcare professionals on the impact of the opioid crisis on young children. One project is an online training module and the other project is an online ECHO network. Scroll down for more information.

Project SCOPE: Supporting Children of the OPioid Epidemic, is a national training initiative intended to build nationwide provider capacity and confidence in applying evidence-based practices in screening, monitoring, and interdisciplinary support for children and families diagnosed with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS), Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (NOWS), or who are suspected of being impacted by opioid use, trauma, or related exposure. This project is  a partnership of The Ohio State University Nisonger Center with University of Cincinnati Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities and the Wyoming Institute for Disabilities

The training initiative  will build upon the effective ECHOTM virtual training model that was developed by the three universities and implemented in 2018-2019 pilot SCOPE and will include information on the following topics:  The national initiative will identify and train interdisciplinary teams in targeted states and improve outcomes by linking research to practical application in local communities, providing opportunities to share knowledge and findings with national networks and federal agencies, and providing recommendations for future interventions. The Ohio State University Nisonger Center partners with University of Cincinnati Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities and the Wyoming Institute for Disabilities for this project which is supported by the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities through the Association of University Centers on Disabilities.

Buckeye SCOPE

In addition to training other university to replicate the ECHOTM  SCOPE model, The Ohio State University Nisonger Center, in collaboration with the University of Cincinnati, will also act as an ECHOTM   site and will lead the Ohio SCOPE ECHO in early August 2020. The training will build upon the effective ECHOTM virtual training model developed for the 2018-2019 pilot SCOPE and will include information on the following topics:

  • Introduction to the Opioid Crisis & Social Determinants of Health 
  • Self-Care Techniques & Self-Reflective Practice
  • Addiction & Treatment
  • Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) & Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (NOWS)
  • Trauma Informed Care/Practices
  • Impacts of Trauma on Development
  • Developmental Monitoring
  • Models of Care

Project ECHO is a distance-based professional learning and development program model for health care providers, based on videoconferencing, case-based learning, and ongoing disease management.

If you would like to participate in the Ohio ECHO please visit SCOPE ECHO Ohio. If you would like to know more about the national training initiative please visit Project SCOPE- National Training Initiative.

For more information contact:

Jessy Thomas at jessy.thomas@osumc.edu or Dr. Andrea Witwer at andrea.witwer@osumc.edu